


Pretending

by Whedonista93



Series: Spirit of the Season [7]
Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:07:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28211391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whedonista93/pseuds/Whedonista93
Summary: “Are you going to be able to stand it, precious?” Jareth asks as he stands and turns to offer her a hand up.Sarah takes his hand and steps into his space. “Stand what?”“Pretending to be madly in love with me, of course.”
Relationships: Jareth/Sarah Williams
Series: Spirit of the Season [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039010
Comments: 30
Kudos: 99





	Pretending

Sarah locks her front door and drops her purse on the floor, kicking her shoes off as she makes her way to the kitchen. She pulls the closest bottle of wine out when she opens the fridge and only briefly contemplates a glass before uncorking it and taking a long draw straight from the bottle.

"Now precious," Jareth's voice comes from her darkened living room, "I do not gift you with such fine vintages for you to swill them like cheap whiskey."

Sarah scowls at him, even as she rounds the kitchen island to drop onto the other end of the couch, carelessly dropping her feet into his lap. "My stepmother tried to set me up with a _podiatrist_. At our family Thanksgiving."

Jareth simply quirks one unnaturally shaped brow.

Sarah takes another swig of her wine and doesn't bother suppressing her shudder. "A foot doctor."

Jareth grimaces.

"Precisely." Sarah offers him the bottle. "He spent the whole afternoon lecturing me on why I shouldn't wear heels. His only apparent interest outside his job was flooring."

"Flooring?"

"He knew like the last century of the history of residential and commercial flooring trends. He spent an _hour_ talking about carpet fibers. And he was less than five years older than me and _balding,_ " she adds the last bit petulantly.

Jareth tuts sympathetically and passes the wine back to Sarah. "Distasteful sounding man."

Sarah nods solemnly, expression more than a little forlorn. "And I just _know_ she's going to try it again at Christmas. And if Christmas doesn't work, again at New Years."

"Why not just take a paramour, precious?"

"Because it's the holidays!" Sarah exclaims. "Taking a date home for the holidays implies commitment."

Jareth shrugs. "Fake it?"

Sarah sighs. "I've considered it."

"But?"

" _But_ , misguided matchmaking attempts aside, my family knows me well enough they'll be able to tell if I'm faking it. It would have to be someone who not only knows me well enough, but that I'm comfortable enough with to pass my family's scrutiny. If they don't believe it, they won't give up." Sarah slumps. "I don't… I don't have friends like that Jareth. Who could I ask?"

Jareth absentmindedly starts rubbing her feet and hums noncommittally. 

"I can't handle another holiday like today," Sarah admits. "I just wanted to enjoy the holiday with my family and the whole day was tainted by that odious man."

"Christmas will be better," Jareth promises.

"How do you know?"

"Do you trust me?" Jareth asks, face as solemn as Sarah's ever seen.

She takes another drink of her wine and eyes him dubiously. "Why?"

"Do you?"

Sarah sighs. "I still don't know why, but yes."

Jareth smiles. "Then have a little faith."

"Unless you can magic me a believable boyfriend…" Sarah trails off, taking a final swig of her wine before setting the bottle aside.

Jareth merely chuckles and starts humming an old lullaby.

* * *

Sarah woke up the day after Thanksgiving, sans jeans - she'd stopped lecturing Jareth about undressing her years ago, when she finally accepted that he never actually means her any harm - with a minor hangover and no clue what he meant by their conversation. She goes on with her life and doesn't see or hear from Jareth again for almost a month.

She cringes when she arrives home the morning of Christmas Eve and Karen opens the door arm in arm with a man she doesn't know.

"Sarah!" Karen hugs her exuberantly. "Welcome home! Merry Christmas! This is Carl. He's a new lawyer at your dad's firm and couldn't make it home for the holidays, so we invited him to join us for Christmas Eve!"

"Carl" is tall, with dark eyes, dark hair, and a single dimple. Very handsome, even Sarah can admit.

She forces a smile and offers her hand. "Hi, Carl." She barely contains a grimace at his weak grip. "Nice to meet you. Glad you could come, no one should be alone for the holidays."

Karen ushers her inside, taking her bag. "I'll take this up to your room, sweetheart. You had a long drive and we just bought coffee into the living room. Why don't you two go sit and relax?"

Sarah smiles tightly and leads Carl back to the living room, gratefully preparing a cup of coffee before settling into her favorite old wingback by the fireplace. “So, you’re a lawyer?” Sarah asks politely.

Carl nods, settling into the chair across from her. “I specialize in corporate law.”

“Do you like it?”

“I’m detail-oriented. It suits me.”

“Do you enjoy it though?”

Carl shrugs. “It’s a job. Karen said you’re an artist?” He all but sneers the word _artist._

_Arrogant bastard_ , Sarah thinks. “I write and illustrate children’s books.”

“Interesting.”

Sarah lifts her cup to hide her scowl at the disdain in his tone. “You seem young to have found a position at my father’s firm.”

“I am. I’m the youngest lawyer on staff by more than six years,” Carl grins smugly.

“Hm,” Sarah hums. “So what do you do outside of work?”

Carl shrugs. “I work a lot. But I have a strict gym routine.”

Sarah rolls her eyes. “No! What do you do for fun?”

Carl blinks at her, a bit owlishly, then shrugs. “Do online debates qualify?”

“Sure,” Sarah manages. _Handsome, but arrogant, boring, and a damn internet troll. Goblin King save me!_

The doorbell rings.

“I’ve got it!” Karen calls before Sarah can do more than stand.

Sarah sets her coffee cup on the mantle and moves to the hall anyway, and her jaw drops when she sees Jareth in the doorway over Karen’s shoulder. He’s dressed in gray slacks and a black button up under a leather jacket. There’s a leather duffel bag hanging from one shoulder and a large department store bag dangling from one hand. His face is free of makeup and his eyebrows are shaped normally. His hair is still long, but tamed and pulled into a low tail.

Jareth is smiling at Karen. “You must be Mrs. WIlliams.”

Karen nods, looking a bit dazed. “I am. I’m sorry, have we met?”

Jareth chuckles. “No. We haven’t had the pleasure. I’m Jareth King. I was hoping to surprise Sarah.”

Karen blinks. “Sarah?”

“Yes. She invited me, you see, but at the time… well, it was only a last minute change in plans that allowed me to come.”

Sarah feels more than sees Carl come up behind her, and decides to play along with whatever game the Goblin King is playing. She steps into the hall. “Jareth?”

Jareth smiles at her as Karen steps aside. “Hello, precious.”

Sarah can’t really help but laugh and throw herself at him.

Jareth catches her around the waist with one arm, easily lifting her off the ground and tugging her into him.

She smiles into his neck. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“I didn’t… oh! _Goblin King save me!_ I did, didn’t I?” Sarah giggles.

Jareth sets her back on her feet, but leaves his arm around her waist, still holding her close. “I confess I was coming anyway, but knowing I’m wanted is always a boon.”

Behind Sarah, Karen clears her throat. “Um, Sarah, darling?”

Sarah turns, sliding her hand down and twining her fingers with Jareth’s, tugging him into the house and kicking the door closed. “Sorry, Karen. I didn’t mean to be rude. I just got so excited he was here.”

“You didn’t tell me you were inviting anyone.”

Sarah shrugs. “I didn’t think he would be able to make it.”

Karen bites her lip.

“Uh, should I go?” Carl asks.

“Of course not!” Karen protests.

“No one should spend the holidays alone,” Sarah agrees.

“Oh!” Karen exclaims. “The guest room is a disaster. We’re using it for storage while we finish remodeling the garage… I suppose Toby can sleep on the sofa.”

Sarah barely refrains from rolling her eyes. “Don’t worry about it. Jareth can stay with me.”

Karen blushes. “Oh. You’re, um, he’s… I see. I don’t know about… are you sure-”

Sarah decides to just ignore Karen’s blustering and tug Jareth up the stairs to her room, closing the door behind them.

Jareth sets his bags aside and shrugs out of his jacket, hanging it over the back of her vanity chair.

Sarah tilts her head and squints, pleased with how little effort it takes to see past the Goblin King’s glamour.

Jareth smirks at her.

Sarah blushes. “You pull off human quite impressively, but I like your normal look better.”

Jareth chuckles. “As lovely as that is, precious, I did not think your family would be so accepting.”

“You’re right… I don’t know if I’ve ever been so happy to see you.”

“Tall, dark, and handsome not doing it for you?”

Sarah drops to her bed with a groan. “He’s arrogant and boring. I can’t believe you’re here.”

Jareth’s expression softens. “I couldn’t let you suffer another miserable holiday.”

Sarah pats the bed next to her.

Jareth sits next to her obligingly.

Sarah leans against him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thank you, Jareth.”

He turns enough to brush his lips lightly against her head. “Anything for you, precious. Now tell me, are we really both meant to sleep in this tiny little bed?”

Sarah laughs. “Of course not! I had every intention of spending tonight in the Underground, even if you hadn’t shown up.”

“Just inviting yourself into my realm now, are you?”

_Our realm,_ Sarah barely bites her tongue in time, and just rolls her eyes instead. “As if you don’t love it when I visit. Now come on, we need to get back downstairs.”

“Are you going to be able to stand it, precious?” Jareth asks as he stands and turns to offer her a hand up.

Sarah takes his hand and steps into his space. “Stand what?”

“Pretending to be madly in love with me, of course.”

_If only I was pretending_ , Sarah sighs internally. Externally, she reaches up and wraps her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him and batting her eyes. “Can you?”

Jareth actually freezes.

Sarah laughs and releases him, leaving the room and trusting him to follow. She feels his hand on the small of her back before they reach the stairs. In the living room, Carl is back in his chair, and Karen is seated in one corner of the couch, with Toby sprawled across the rest of it.

Toby leaps up when he sees her. “Sarah!”

Sarah steps away from Jareth and wraps her arms tightly around her brother. “Tobes! I swear you’ve gotten taller just since Thanksgiving!”

Toby blushes and shrugs.

“Toby, this is Jareth.”

Toby looks at Jareth strangely, but eventually offers a,”’Sup?” before going back to sprawling across the couch.

“Toby! We have guests, make room!” Karen scolds.

“Don’t put yourself out on my account,” Jareth says settling into the chair Sarah had occupied earlier and shamelessly tugging Sarah into his lap.

Sarah huffs in mock exasperation, but shifts a bit until she’s comfortable.

“I do wish Sarah would have told us about you, Jareth. I mean,” Karen waves at them. “You seem so comfortable together.” She cast an uncomfortable glance at Carl. “How long have you been together?”

Sarah freezes. Because the truth… the truth is that by the laws of magic, they’ve been married since she was sixteen. But she can’t tell her stepmother that. She can’t even tell Jareth that - he’s still blissfully unaware she knows the truth. She was nineteen the first time he admitted he loved her and she believed he said it with no ulterior motive. She was twenty one when she realized she loved him too. At twenty three, she has yet to work up the courage to tell him as much.

Jareth chuckles in her ear. “Tongue stuck, precious?”

Sarah elbows him as subtly as she can. “It’s been… a while,” Sarah admits to Karen.

“What’s a while dear?” Karen prompts.

Sarah bites her lip and glances down at Jareth. “Four years? Four and a half?”

Karen blanches a bit. “Sarah!”

“What?”

Jareth smirks. “I believe your stepmother is very likely referring to the fact that I am clearly older than you, precious, and the time frame you provided implies that we’ve been together since you were a teenager.”

“I was legal,” Sarah protests indignantly.

“Peace, precious,” Jareth soothes.

“Anybody home?” Sarah’s father calls, along with the sound of the door opening.

“Living room,” Karen calls back weakly.

Sarah’s father comes in with a smile. “Carl, you made it! Sarah, oh, and… friend.”

Sarah stands and hugs her father. “Hey, Dad! Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart. Who’s your friend?”

Jareth stands and offers his hand. “Jareth King, Mr. Williams.”

“Sarah’s been seeing him for the last four years or so,” Karen offers.

Sarah’s father blanches, but recovers well. “In that case, call me Robert, please.” He tuts at Sarah. “You could have saved yourself several awkward encounters if you’d told us about him.”

Sarah shrugs. “I… it was complicated for a while.”

Jareth wraps an arm around her shoulders. “Not so complicated now, though, precious, is it?”

“No,” Sarah answers, realizing the truth of it as she leans back into him.

“Right,” Robert claps his hands together. “Well, dinner’s in the car. Toby?”

Toby rolls off the couch. “Got it.”

“I’ll help,” Sarah volunteers, following her brother out the door.

“You’re dating the Goblin King?” Toby hisses as soon as the front door closes behind them.

Sarah winces. “I wondered if you recognized his name.”

Toby rolls his eyes. “You shouldn’t have told me bedtime stories about the Labyrinth for so many years if you didn’t want me to believe them.”

“Are you okay with it?”

Toby shrugs. “He was never the bad guy. And you seem happy.”

Sarah nods. “He’s a good man… or whatever he is.”

Toby giggles as he opens the back door of their dad’s car. “Score! Chinese!”

They make quick work of unloading the bags and ushering everyone into the dining room to load plates up.

“So what do you do, Jared?” Karen asks.

“It’s Jareth,” Sarah corrects through gritted teeth.

Karen grimaces. “Right, sorry.”

“I’m an architect,” Jareth answers.

Toby eyes him dubiously.

Jareth winks at him. “My specialty is gardens for those with more imagination than sense.”

Toby snickers into his noodles.

Sarah kicks Jareth under the table, but her eyes are shining with amusement.

Carl makes his excuses and leaves after dinner.

Sarah rounds on Karen the moment the door closes behind him. “Really?”

Karen flinches. “I didn’t know about Jareth! And Carls is handsome and intelligent and employed…”

“And arrogant and boring,” Sarah adds.

Karen grimaces and shrugs. “Okay, yes. I just… I don’t want you to be alone, Sarah.”

The fight drains out of Sarah. “I know, Karen, and I appreciate it. But I’m not.”

Karen nods. “I know that now. Um… did we ever decide if we wanted to exchange gifts tonight or in the morning?”

“I vote morning,” Robert interjects.

Sarah nods. “I’m with Dad. It’s been a long day.”

“Awwh, I wanna open them tonight!” Toby objects.

The adults exchange glances over his head.

Sarah shrugs. “One tonight?”

Robert throws his hands up in the air. “Why not?”

Toby cheers and sprints into the living room.

* * *

Sarah closes and locks her bedroom door, then holds out a hand to Jareth. “Take us home?”

Jareth clasps her hand, then freezes.

“Jareth,” Sarah squeezes his hand.

Jareth tugs her into his embrace, and between one blink and the next, they’re in front of a roaring fire in his rooms in his castle. He doesn’t release her.

She looks up at him curiously. “Jareth?”

“You said home.”

Sarah smiles. “I did, didn’t I?”

Jareth reaches and brushes a bit of hair away from her face. “Don’t tease, precious.”

Sarah shakes her head. “I’m not.”

“I must admit I find myself at a bit of a loss.”

Sarah takes a deep breath and reaches up to brush her thumb under his eyes. “Lose the glamour?”

Jareth lets it fade.

Sarah smiles. “There you are.”

“Sarah…”

“I was sixteen when I defeated you and accidentally made myself your queen.”

Jareth goes very still in her arms.

Sarah presses a finger over his lips. “Yes, I know about that. I realized it on my seventeenth birthday,” her hand drifts down to rest over the medallion under his shirt, “when you gave me the match to this. I was nineteen the first time I really believed you when you said you loved me. I was twenty when I realized it was putting a strain on me to stay away from the Labyrinth for any extended amount of time. I was twenty one when I realized I fell in love with you somewhere along the way. And I’ve spent the last two years being too much of a coward to tell you.”

Jareth lifts his hand to lightly grasp the hand she’s holding his medallion in. “Why tell me now?”

“Because I finally realized it was okay to love you. We’re bound either way, thanks to the Labyrinth, but we control what we do with that bond. You’ve supported every step I’ve taken since the day I beat the Labyrinth. You make me laugh and you don’t expect anything from me, but you give me everything… even when I don’t realize I need it. Like showing up today. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed Christmas so much. You were… perfect.”

“Love me, and I will be your slave,” Jareth repeats part of what he promised her so long ago. “I was your slave either way.”

“I see that now.”

“So where do we go from here, precious?”

Sarah shrugs. “Wherever we want. We have forever.”

“Forever isn’t long at all. Isn’t that what you told me once?”

“Yes, I believe I did. Jareth?

“Sarah?”

“I’ve been waiting an awfully long time for you to kiss me.”

“I kissed you tonight.”

“Show,” Sarah points out. “For my family. Kiss me for real.”

“Are you certain?”

Sarah’s eyes sparkle mischievously, and a bundle of mistletoe appears above them.

“You’ve been practicing,” Jareth praises.

“ _Jareth_ ,” Sarah groans. “Don’t choose now to be cruel. Kiss me.”

“As my queen commands.”

Sarah wakes slowly, and can’t help but smile at her surroundings when she opens her eyes. It’s been a rare indulgence, over the years, to stay in the Underground overnight, and she slept better than she has in years. Of course, that could also be accredited to the Goblin King currently plastered against her back. She reaches up and runs a hand down his arm.

Jareth groans and tightens his grip.

Sarah laughs. “Wake up, Jareth. We have to get back before someone comes looking for us.”

Jareth just groans again.

Sarah rolls her eyes. “Jareth.”

He grumbles his way through it all, but they do eventually ready for the day.

Sarah steps out of the bath and wraps herself in an oversize towel, then frowns. “Jareth!”

Jareth pokes his head in the door. “Yes?”

“I forgot my bag in my room. I don’t have any clothes but what I wore yesterday.”

Jareth smirks and snaps his fingers.

Sarah gapes at the dress and boots that appear. The dress is a soft gray, with long sleeves and a scoop neck, details embroidery - the Labyrinth - around the collar, hem, and cuffs, and the boots are supple black leather. She smiles at him. “It’s lovely.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“I need underwear.”

“You could go without.”

Sarah scowls.

Jareth snickers, but snaps again.

The Goblin King’s glamour is back in place when Sarah steps back into the bedroom. He’s dressed in dark jeans that make Sarah’s mouth go dry and a button up the same color as her dress. He’s idly rolling a crystal over his fingers.

Sarah indulges herself in merely watching him for a long moment before clearing her throat. “Ready?”

Jareth catches the crystal and turns toward her, eyes going soft when he looks at her. “Beautiful, precious. Absolutely beautiful.”

Sarah steps into his space and straightens his collar. “You don’t look too bad yourself, Goblin King.”

He offers her the crystal in his hand. “One more gift, before we return.”

Sarah takes it with a smile. The moment she touches it, the glass melts and slips away, leaving a heavy set of hammered golden rings in her palm.

“Our wedding bands,” Jareth explains softly. “If you want them.”

Sarah lifts the larger of the two, and takes his hand, sliding it onto his finger and sealing it in place with a kiss. “You’re stuck with me, Goblin King. Haven’t you realized that yet?” She offers him the other band and holds her hand out expectantly. He repeats her gesture of sliding it into place and sealing it with a kiss.

“Your family will see.”

Sarah grins. “Good. What’s a family holiday without a bit of scandal?”


End file.
